Unfinished house burns

KENANSVILLE -- Investigators don't know what caused an early Tuesday morning fire that destroyed a house under construction on Ward's Bridge Road.

Duplin Fire Marshal Jimmy Pate said the investigators will be out at the scene again today trying to find the place of origin and the cause. The house was burned so badly, he said, that it was difficult to tell where it started.

Pate said a passing motorist called 911 from a cellular telephone at 4:15 a.m. Tuesday on the way home from work. Five volunteer fire departments responded to 459 E. Wards Bridge Road. The house was next door to where the new owners, Barry and Amy Evans, live.

The house was engulfed in flames when the motorist saw the fire. Responding fire stations were Kenansville, Warsaw, Sarecta, Oak Wolf and Faison.

The house was being built for the Evans family by Kendall Lee Construction Co. of Mount Olive and was one week away from completion, said Pate.

No electricity was going to the house yet. A thunderstorm had occurred late Monday night, but Pate said there has been no evidence found yet that would link the fire to a lightning strike.